Like Ice About to Crack
by balfies
Summary: How can she tell him without her world collapsing? Stuff is hard, Mara. Stuff. Is. Hard.
1. 1 Get a Grip

"Seriously?" Patricia said.

"Yes, seriously."

"That slimeball? Are you having one?"

"No. I really think I like him."

Patricia shook her head in disgust.

"And I thought _he_ had low standards," she said. "What about Mick?"

"What about him?" Mara asked. "We've been broken up for what, two months now? I've moved on and so has he…I think."

"Oh come off it Mara, course you're not over him!"

"I think I can decide that for myself, thankyou very much!"

"Really? Cause I'm not so sure. Every time he comes into the room you look at him like you're sorry for breaking up with him."

Mara bit her bottom lip. "I never really loved him anyway." That was a total lie and she knew it. She _had _loved Mick. Had being the operative word.

"The only person worse than you at lying is Nina," her friend trilled. "You loved Mick, you broke up with Mick, and now you're trying to convince yourself you're in love with _Jerome_? I know break-ups are tough, but seriously Mara: have some self-respect!"

"And what's wrong with Jerome?" Mara asked.

"What's wrong with him? He's a manipulative, heartless, cold prankster with as much regard for other human beings as Amber has for broken nails, that's what! He's bad news, 'specially for someone with a reputation as clean as yours, M."

"Maybe if you took the chance to talk to him you'd –."

"Have more evidence to back me up? Get a grip, Mara. Jerome's always been a scumbag void of compassion for other people, and he's not about to change. I'm not even sure we can classify him as a person anyway."

Mara stared down at her feet.

"You're probably right," she mumbled. "I'm sure it'll pass in a few days or something. Forget I mentioned it."

Patricia nodded satisfactorily. "There's my Mara. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go push Fabian into Nina some more. Those two are infuriating, and Amber's matchmaking tactics aren't nearly violent enough."

Mara smiled as her friend swung the door shut behind her, and then sighed. Damn Patricia. No, actually, don't. She was trying to help…in her own, vehement way. Mara hadn't realised Patricia noticed the guilt that flickered across her face whenever Mick entered the room, but at least she had the wrong idea about its cause. Patricia's wrong conclusion about her lingering feelings for Mick would keep Mara safe for the next few weeks. She did feel genuinely sorry for breaking up with Mick. He'd been a really sweet boyfriend…just not the boy she wanted. Mara had read somewhere that the average crush lasts no longer than four months; any crush longer than that and you're in love with them.

She knew her feelings for Jerome wouldn't end in a few days. They hadn't budged in the past five months, so why would they choose this week to move along?


	2. 2 Think of Shields

Those eyes. _Those eyes._

Damn them. Damn their shininess. Damn their depth. Damn their sapphire-like everything.

Alfie had said something ridiculous – without meaning to, of course. Jerome had swallowed his drink down the wrong windpipe in amusement.

"Are you serious?" he said, spluttering a little having regained composure. Alfie nodded. Jerome howled with laughter again, the corners of his eyes crinkled up as he rocked back and forth.

"Guys, guys, listen to this," he said, twisting around to face Patricia, Fabian and Mick at the table. "Alfie –" and then his mouth was blocked by Alfie's hand. Patricia rolled her eyes and returned to her Romanov essay, crossing out the word she'd just written. Jerome let out a shriek as Alfie licked his palm.

"That's disgusting, man! Invest in some hygiene!"

Alfie chortled to himself in satisfaction. Jerome shook his head as his laughter faded. He turned to face Mara, who promptly bent her head down to the upcoming assembly agenda. Her mouth rested in a soft smile; she pulled her bottom lip under her teeth. Sweetie had packed the assembly full again – it'd run five minutes over time with the guest speaker and music performance. Jerome's eyes were boring into the space above hers like a scrutinising drill.

She didn't it put it past Jerome to have mind-reading capabilities. _Think of shields. Think of shields. Mediaeval shields. Deflect him. Brick walls. Fortresses. Not his eyes. Don't think of his eyes. Think of mirrors – reflect his eyes back at him and blind him. _She couldn't for the life of her remember what a shield looked like.


	3. 3 Keep Him on His Toes

"My darling Mara, you are looking excellent today."

"What do you want, Jerome?"

"Why do you think I want anything? Am I not allowed to compliment you?"

Mara shifted her weight to her other foot and raised her eyebrow as their mid-corridor position split the river of students.

"Your voice is low. You always want something when your voice is low. What is it?"

"Mara Jaffray, you observant, saucy minx. I was just thinking it would be divine if the teachers left the staffroom so young Alfie and I could set up an elaborate prank, but I was wondering whether you knew someone who had a high standing with them. Someone who could otherwise occupy them for a few minutes? Someone about yea tall," he motioned with his hand level with the top of her head, "who has an impeccable record on her side as well as a pretty face and holds the unfortunate position of student rep?"

Mara tried to look unimpressed but failed to stifle a laugh. Jerome smiled keenly.

"Why should I help you? Wait, no, better question: what are you going to do?"

"If I don't tell you, you can react naturally if you're confronted by a suspicious teacher. And you should help me because you're the student rep and I am a student in need of representation."

For a second, she considered saying yes… but the thought of Jerome having to bribe her was highly amusing. What the hell.

"I'm going to need more than that to convince me," she said, quickly losing herself in a bustling crowd of year eights before Jerome could protest.

Jerome chewed the inside of his cheek, then hinged himself diagonally to face the direction of his locker.

*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*

**Not normally one for chapters this short, but all of my HoA fics seem to be just that. You're a tough audience, I'm sure you're all big enough to look after yourselves.**


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